Mechanical toy



(No Model.)

.J- B. BURFOOT.

MECHANICAL TOY.

,015. Patented Mar. 5', 1889L y w r w N PETERS, Pnuxomhogmvhnr. wnsrangmn. D. c.

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UNITED STArns .afrnnir @rrrcrn JOSEPH BURFOOT, OF MUBILE, ALABriBl.-\.

MECHANICAL TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 399,015, dated March 5, 1889.

Application fileublovemher 15, 1888. Serial No. 290,883. (No model To all whom it may concern:

Bs it known that I, JOSEPH B. BURFOoT, a citizen of the United Sta-tes, residing at Mol bile, in the county of Mobile and State ol' Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mechanical Toys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in mechanical toys; and it consists in certain novel features, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of my improved toy. Fig. 2 is a view showing the frame and handle in vertical section and the rotating disks and rod in elevation. Fig. 3 is a detail View showing a modification of the upper end of the rotary rod, and Fig. e is a detail view showing the manner ot' securing the disks to the rod.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the handle, which may be of any desired size and design, and has secured to its upper end a shell-` or platform, B, and provided in its upper port-ion with an interior vertical socket, C, as shown. At the corners of the platform B, I erect the columns or support-s D D, upon which I secure the roof or cover E, as shown.

F designates the central rotating rod, having its lower end journaled in the socket C, and provided with an annular groove, G,which lis engaged by the inner end ot' a pin, H, in sertcd transversely through the handle, so that the said rotating rod will be prevented from slipping trom the handle in the operation o1' the device. The upper end of the said rod extends through the bottom plate of the roof or cover E, and is turned to one side, forming a horizontal arm, I, to the end of which is secured a weighted ball, J, by any desired means. The vertical portion of the rotating' rod is provided at proper points with the lateraily-projecting tongues or ol't'sets K, which are adapted to support the disks L, as shown.

If desired, these projecting longues or offsets maybe dispensed with and the disks fastened to vertical rods hy being soldered or glued or forced into position by pressure. Upon the said disks L, I secure suitable uros to represent soldiers, engines, ships, the., as shown.

The constrliction of my device being thus made knowmthe manner of using the same will be readily understood. The to): is grasped by the handle and tilted slightly to one side, thereby (ilisturbing the equilibrium and cansing the ball .I to roll to the lowest point of the roof, thereby rotating the rod F and carrying the disk around with the said rod, so that the figures on the said disks will appear to be moving of their own volition.

Itwill he observed that my toy is composed of very few parts and is extremely simple in its arrangement, so that it can be manufactured and sold` at a small cost. The ball which rotates the central rod is hidden by the roof, so that the deceptive appearance of the figures in motion is complete. The device can be constructed of any suitable material, such as sheet metal or pasteboard. I prefer to erect the columns or supports at each corner of lthe platform; but, it' so desired, they may he erected only at the front corners of the platform, so as to represent the front of a theatrical stage.

It may sometimes be preferred to construct the upper end ot' the rotating rod as shown in Fig. 4. In this form of my device the upper end of the said rod is extended upward through the roof, and has asmall iag secured to its extremity, as shown. A horizontal arm, I may be formed integral with the rod, or else formed separately and secured thereto, as will be rcai'lily understood. It may also be preferred sometimes to dispense with the horizontal arm and secure the ball to the under side of the lower disk, so that it will rest onv the platform, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, the upper end ol the rotating rod being extended through the root` and provided with a flag, as also indicated in dotted lines in said figure. Thesechanges obviously involve no departure from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure hy Letters Patent,

l. A toy crjnnprising a handle, a .rotatable rod swiveled in the handle, a series of disks secured to said rod and rotated thereby and IOO having images secured upon their upper sides, and a Weight secured to the rod independently of the disks, whereby when the handle is tilted the weight will fall and the rod be rotated, as set forth.

2. A toy comprising a handle, a rotatable rod swiveled in said handle, an arm extending laterally from the said rod, a Weight secured to the end of said arm, and a series of ing tongues 0r offsets, disks secured to the handle and carrying figures, and a ball eon- 1 neeted' to the said rodto rotate the same, as 1- set forth.

5. The improved toy herein described and shown, comprising the handle having a socket in its upper portion, the platform secured to the upper end of the handle, the columns f erected on the platform, the roof supported by the columns, the rod having its lower end journaled inthe socket in the handle and provided with an annular groove, and having its upper end bent -to one side, the pin inserted transversely through the handle and engaging the annular groove of the said rod, the ball secured to the upper end of the said rod, and the disks secured to the saidv rod and carrying figures, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as niy own I have hereto aixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH B. BURFOOT.

Witnesses:

V. E. FURMIER, GEO. L. JACKSON. 

